The Manulife Financial LPGA Classic Returns to Waterloo with a Full Schedule of Events

Friday, July 05, 2013

The Manulife Financial LPGA Classic Returns to Waterloo with a Full Schedule of Events

15:05 EDT Friday, July 05, 2013

Lorie Kane to host a clinic in Waterloo Town Square;"Go Red" for St. Mary's General Hospital

www.manulifeclassic.ca@ManulifeClassic#ManulifeLPGA

WATERLOO, ON, July 5, 2013 /CNW/ - The second Manulife Financial LPGA Classic returns to Waterloo from July 10-14 with a full week of activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Pre-Tournament

The tournament is set to kick off in the Waterloo Town Square with the BlackBerry Community Event on Sunday, July 7. This family-friendly event will feature children's activities, games, face painting, and giveaways. Renowned Canadian golfer, Lorie Kane, will make a special appearance at 1 p.m. to perform a clinic for fans.

Tournament Play

On-course events at Grey Silo Golf Club will begin on Monday, July 8 with the St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation Charity Pro-Am. Grey Silo Golf Club will officially open to the public on Wednesday, July 10, as 52 of the top female players in the field tee off for the official Pro-Am. A group of local junior golfers will get the chance to caddy for the pros at the Pro-Am as a part of the CN Future Links Walk with a Pro program. The first and second rounds of the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic will take place on Thursday, July 11 and Friday, July 12 beginning at 7 a.m. and will be televised live on the Golf Channel from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. The final two rounds on Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14 will be televised live on the Golf Channel from 3 - 6 p.m.

Charity and Volunteer Initiatives

Official charity partner, St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation, will be conducting a Pedometer Challenge in partnership with BlackBerry, encouraging fans to keep active for heart health. Pedometers will be distributed to 1000 spectators each day from Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, July 14. Participants will be entered for a chance to win one BlackBerry Z10 smartphone per day.

On Friday July 12, the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic is going red for women's heart health. Everyone in attendance is encouraged to wear red in support of St. Mary's heart health initiatives, and the women you love. Help us "red-out" the tournament on Friday, July 12!

In addition to being the tournament's title sponsor, Manulife Financial is also the official volunteer sponsor, as volunteerism is its Signature Cause. This year, Manulife is enhancing the volunteer program to show appreciation to the 1200 volunteers who ensure the success of the tournament. Volunteers will have access to an exclusive on-course viewing area on the 12th hole to relax before or after their shift to ensure an unforgettable experience.

Fun for the Whole Family

Presenting Sponsor BlackBerry will unveil the new BlackBerry Family Zone, located near the main entrance. This area will feature kid-friendly activities including a bouncy castle, face painting and mini putt. BlackBerry furthers their presence on the course with The BlackBerry Welcome Area, which will offer demos of the new BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 smartphones to the public. Technical representatives will be available on-site and the area will feature charging stations and other rewards for BlackBerry smartphone customers. Again this year, BlackBerry customers will receive tournament updates through the BBM Friends Updates program that was launched at last year's tournament. This on-site messaging initiative provides users with a direct connection to sponsor messaging, on-site activities and contests, upcoming schedules, weather information, and more.

New This Year

Fans of the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic can take a virtual tour of Grey Silo Golf Course with the new online interactive course map. Also, be sure to visit the Molson Canadian 67 patios, which have been added on the 18th green and near admissions.

The Manulife Financial LPGA Classic encourages recycling. With our partners at Waste Management, we have put a program together to increase the amount of recycling on the golf course with the goal of becoming a zero-waste event. Help get us to this goal and be diligent in your recycling.

For information, including ticket pricing, visit www.manulifeclassic.ca or call the tournament office at (519) 884-5742.

About the Manulife Financial LPGA ClassicThe Manulife Financial LPGA Classic is back for its second year on the LPGA Tour and will feature a standard eligibility field of 144 players, 72 holes of stroke play and a purse of $1.3 million. The tournament will take place July 10 - 14, 2013, at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, Ontario, home of Manulife Financial's Canadian Division. For more information please visit: www.manulifeclassic.ca. Follow us on Twitter: @ManulifeClassic.

About Manulife FinancialManulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$555 billion (US$$547 billion) as at March 31, 2013. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

About St. Mary's General HospitalLocated in the heart of Kitchener, Ontario, St. Mary's is an adult-acute-care hospital and Regional Cardiac Care Centre. Serving Waterloo Region, Wellington County and beyond, St. Mary's has an established reputation for providing quality, compassionate and innovative care. The hospital's cardiac team provides more than 3,400 cardiac catheterizations, 1,050 coronary angioplasties, 750 cardiac surgeries and 275 pacemaker insertions every year.

St. Mary's patient-centered approach to care is augmented by a strong and dedicated team of more than 500 volunteers who contribute nearly 40,000 hours of service a year in 100 unique roles and programs. www.smgh.ca

About Sports Properties InternationalSports Properties International was created to provide an environment where communities and spectacular sporting events can come together, connected by a common interest. Sports Properties International can be found on the internet at www.sportspropertiesinternational.com.

About Bruno Event TeamBruno Event Team (BET) is a Birmingham, Alabama-based sports marketing and event management company formed in 1996 by Ronald Bruno and Gene Hallman. Bruno Event Team is experienced in all facets of event management, employing a year-round staff of 70+ employees in thirteen offices around the United States and Canada. Bruno Event Team Services each client with expertise in strategic planning, marketing, advertising, public and media relations, ticket and merchandise sales, sponsor relations, hospitality consulting, event operations, event financial planning/accounting, and volunteer coordination. Visit www.brunoeventteam.com for additional information.

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